Historic mining magazines are among items being donated to other museums after the closure of Nottinghamshire’s D.H. Lawrence Heritage Centre.
The centre in Eastwood closed it doors in March last year after Broxtowe Borough Council said it could no longer afford to fund it.
But the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum has remained open on Victoria Street, Eastwood, where curators have been assessing the collection of items from the closed site.
Some are now being sent to other museums because the Birthplace Museum has such limited display and storage space.
Born in 1885, Lawrence is regarded of one of the greatest authors in the history English literature.
The magazines within the collection are among a list of items now going to locations including the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
“After lots of discussions and help from colleagues at other Midlands-based museums, a list of objects to stay has been drawn up, along with a list of items that the Curatorial Team will seek new homes for,” said a statement from Broxtowe Borough Council.
“I’m sure our local community will be glad to know that a fair number of the items from the former Heritage Centre will be transferred into one of the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum collections and we’re excited about these items staying with us” said Alex Khan, cultural services manager at Liberty Leisure, which runs the museum for the council.
“We also understand that some of our residents will be worried that we’re going to be getting rid of Lawrence items and books but this isn’t the case.
“The items we are looking for new homes for are mainly domestic, social history items with no provenance or items that are not the right period or subject for our museum.”
“However, the fact that they are not right for our collection does not take away their cultural value and we’re hopeful we can place them into new homes. Some of the mining related items have already been snapped up by the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield and one of the original donors is delighted that they have found such a prestigious new home.”
Video: The centre closed its doors last year.
The council made the decision due to close the Heritage Centre after saying the £1.5million subsidy it was paying to keep the centre running was no longer justifiable.
The Birthplace Museum was awarded a Hidden Gem Accolade from VisitEngland in February.
Lawrence was born and lived in the now restored Victorian house until he was two years old.
His works include Sons and Lovers and Lady Chatterley’s Lover, and he is famed for highlighting the dehumanising effects of industrialisation. He died in France in 1930.
